Friday of the First Week of Advent
Reading 1 Isaiah 29:17-24
Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the arrogant will have gone;
All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,
those whose mere word condemns a man,
Who ensnare his defender at the gate,
and leave the just man with an empty claim.
Therefore thus says the LORD,
the God of the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of,
nor shall his face grow pale.
When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding,
and those who find fault shall receive instruction.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!"
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."
And their eyes were opened.
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this."
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord.
Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days
April 13 // Palm Sunday of Passion of the Lord
April 14 // Monday of Holy Week
April 15 // Tuesday of Holy Week
April 16 // Wednesday of Holy Week
April 17 // Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper
April 18 // Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord
Letter from the Editor //
Dear Sister,
We are about to enter into the holiest week of the year, beginning with tomorrow, Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord. Before Mass even begins, the priest will bless palms and read from the Gospel of Luke, which tells of Jesus’ glorious entrance into Jerusalem. First, He goes on to the Mount of Olives, anticipating His Agony in the Garden. Will we join in the praise tomorrow of our Savior Who is ready to die for us, to give His “back to those who beat” Him and His “cheeks to those who plucked [His] beard” (Isaiah 50:6)? Will we stay with Him when He cries out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:2a) This week is the reason He became a Man. In giving us His life, He teaches us how to live—to empty ourselves and humble ourselves, to give all for love of God (see Philippians 2:7-8).
When you hear the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Luke tomorrow at Mass, imagine yourself in the scene. Will you be beside Jesus the whole time consoling Him? Can you imagine following Him beside His sorrowful Mother or weeping with the women of Jerusalem? Stand in the crowd and witness how your sins have condemned the One Whom you ought to love. Cry with Peter after denying Jesus. Hang beside the good thief and ask Jesus to remember you. Prepare Jesus’s body for burial with Joseph and lay Him in the tomb. This week is for you.
In Christ’s Love,
Susanna
Read the readings for the Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord (Year C) //
Gospel at the Procession with Palms // Luke 19:28-40
First Reading // Isaiah 50:4-7
Psalm // Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
Second Reading // Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel // Luke 22:14–23:56
Prayer Practice // Where in the Passion do you feel drawn to remain with Jesus this Holy Week?
Susanna Spencer est titulaire d'une maîtrise en théologie de l'Université franciscaine de Steubenville et est l'éditrice théologique de Blessed is She. Elle vit avec son mari philosophe et ses quatre enfants à Saint Paul, Minnesota. Elle aime lire la théologie, assister à de belles liturgies, cuisiner de délicieux plats et suivre le baseball avec désinvolture. Elle était la narratrice de Maranatha, L'histoire de notre Sauveur et de notre livre pour enfants, Rise Up . En savoir plus sur elle ici .
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